Are you moving house soon? Moving can be a stressful time, trying to remember everything you need to move, cancel, update and pack!
Don’t worry, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you (pun intended!) and created a super easy to use Moving House Checklist that you can download as a pdf, print and tick off as you complete.
Preparing to Move
- Confirm moving date with your Movers
- Collect packing supplies - boxes, tape, newspaper or bubble wrap and markers (or ask us for a packing kit)
- Begin emptying cupboards and closets that are not often used
- Empty all trash cans and bins
- Ensure lawn and ground maintenance is tidy
- Dispose of flammables (check our list of items we cannot move guide)
- Empty fuel cans and gas bottles
- Organise new school, preschool or local care for your children
- Throw out or donate items you don't need
- Plan meals to use up the food in your home before moving
- Plan a simple breakfast for moving day
- Plan any medicines needed to be taken for moving day
- Plan "day of the move" items with clean clothes, cleaning items, water bottles and snacks
- Organise key pick up for your new home
- Write down any alarm codes to hand over to new owners
- Create a folder of any warranties or manuals for your property to hand over to new owners
- Water all pot plants a couple days before you move
Sort your Services & Utilities
- Arrange house and contents insurance for your new home
- Arrange electricity and gas connection for your new property
- Arrange for final reading of your electricity, water and gas for the day of your move
- Arrange transfer of Internet, SKY TV and telephone services to your new home
- Cancel or transfer any services such as lawn mowing, gardening or cleaning
Change of Address
- Set up mail redirect with NZ Post
- Update your address with your bank, credit cards, hire purchases, insurances and investments
- Update your address with your doctors, accountant and lawyers
- Update your address with the IRD, Elections Registrar and your workplace
- Redirect any subscriptions you have
- Let your neighbours know your forwarding address
- Tell your friends and family
Packing
- Start by packing your most infrequently used items
- Empty sheds and pack garage
- Clearly label glass, valuables and fragile items
- Label each box for its destination room
- Pack perishables and frozen items last
- Pack frozen items in cooler boxes where possible and line with ice packs
- Pack items carefully and as structured as possible to ensure your belongings do not get squished or broken
- Use newspaper or bubble wrap to wrap valuables and fragile items
- Wrap whiteware to avoid scratching
- Take all photos and decorations down from your walls. Carefully remove any hooks.
- If your TV is wall mounted, arrange to have help to remove this from your wall
- Wrap your TV to keep it safe.
Cleaning
- Where possible, start cleaning as you empty lesser used rooms of your house
- Clean each cuboard and closet inside and out
- Wipe down walls and ceilings
- Clean the oven
- Tidy yard, shed and gutters
- Mow the lawn
- For the final clean, think about hiring a cleaner (ask us for recommendations)
Moving day!
- Charge your mobile phone
- Have a simple breakfast
- Clean and pack final dishes
- Keep any necessary medicines in your purse or personal backpack
- Switch off the oven and dishwasher
- Arrange care for your pets and children (if possible!)
- Check all doors and windows are closed and locked
- Turn off all lights
- Hand over the keys and pick up new keys
Notes
Download Moving Checklist
Enter your name and email address below to download our super helpful home moving checklist. By doing so you agree to allow us to email you awesome tips, updates and moving guides (we promise it won’t be too often!).
